


People Skills

by Redrikki



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Gen, Introspection, Poor Life Choices
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-07
Updated: 2013-10-07
Packaged: 2017-12-28 16:12:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/993931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Redrikki/pseuds/Redrikki
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bolin’s not too smart but he’s good with people and he’s okay with that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	People Skills

Bolin knew he wasn’t really all that smart. Maybe it was all those blows to the head or maybe it was because he’d spent, like, two second in school before his parents died. Either way, he wasn’t too bright and he was okay with that. Sure, he’d never solve crime like Mako or come up with crazy brilliant ideas like Varrick, but he couldn’t exactly bend like the Avatar either. Everyone had their talents and Bolin’s was people. Not knowing which ones were bad for him, he was terrible at that, but making them like him.

It sounded kind of lame, but it was a good skill to have. Back when they were kids and they had to steal and run numbers so they could eat, Bolin had figured out that if he smiled the right way or did the thing where he made his eyes super big and quivered his lip a little people would just give him stuff. When Mako had gotten sad or had a nightmare, Bolin could always make him laugh and things would be okay again. In the arena, Mako and Korra had been _amazing_ , but Bolin was the one fans loved. He gave them a show and signed all his autographs with a sketch of Pabu’s face and they just ate it up. Even now, after losing all those times, people still chanted his name just for saying _fans_ and _Republic City_ and _it’s great to be back_.

And it was great, being back. Sure, the little family he had built around himself was falling apart, but that was normal right? People in families did their own thing all the time. Mako had crime to solve, Korra had a war to start and Asami had one to monger. And Bolin? He had a stupid outfit and a new fake name and a job he wasn’t quite sure he felt okay about. But he was home and safe and that was what was important. 

He watched Varrick boss Zhu Li around and wondered if _she_ ever thought about running away from him in a really fast boat. Maybe it was different when they paid you. The stupid necklace from the costume was as tight as Eska’s and, for a second, he couldn’t catch his breath. It was alright though, he was alright. The snow was fake and anyway, he wasn’t Bolin any more, he was Nuktuk, mighty warrior of the South. Nuktuk wasn’t scared of crazy ex-girlfriends or Equalists or losing all his friends and having no clue what he was doing with his life. 

Yeah, Varrick was going to making him a movers star. He promised to look out for him, just like Eska had promised along with Mr. Sato and Tosa and the Triple Threats and his family. And sure, maybe those hadn’t always turned out so great, but things couldn’t go wrong all the time. Bolin wasn’t smart, but he _was_ good at making people like him. Maybe this time it would be enough.


End file.
